


Two Thrones

by GreyLiliy



Category: Paper Mario: The Origami King
Genre: Character Study, Family, Gen, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:21:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25658131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreyLiliy/pseuds/GreyLiliy
Summary: Olly discovers the joy of creation and is no longer alone.
Relationships: King Olly & Olivia (Paper Mario)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 68





	Two Thrones

**Author's Note:**

> I loved this game and I love King Olly and his strained relationship with his sister. I wanted to explore them a little bit, specifically Olly creating Olivia (he’s so much more her dad than her brother lol).
> 
> Thank you so much for reading this short little character exploration! :D

The pencil lead itched against his belly.

His pristine, beautiful paper forever marked and ruined; made ugly by his very own creator.

Olly sat on the small throne in the center of the castle in progress. He sighed, slumped in the chair. Next to him, an empty seat waited for its own occupant to be brought to life by the same “forbidden” Fold of Life technique. He had seen the quick sketches of himself and his “sister” on the old Toad’s desk.

He floated from the chair and approached the work table. Olly pushed aside the colored pencils and put his pointed hand on the sketch of himself, colored in purple. He shifted to look at his yellow counterpart.

The Toad Origami Craftsman had left the island to run errands.

He’d been excited for Olly’s creation; a proud father wanting to buy decorative streamers and cake to celebrate.

The same Toad that expressed such pride, had also scribbled on said creation that brought him such joy.

Would he do the same to Olly’s sister when she was born? Would she too be marred by her creator and forever soiled by pencil lead?

No.

No, Olly would not allow it.

He turned and looked upon his small Origami castle and its courtyard. Their folds were a thing of beauty. They were a stronger construction. Better in every way to the flat paper that brought them to life.

Olivia deserved better than scribbles.

Origami deserved better than to be decorations on a table or a wall—they weren’t centerpieces. They weren’t servants.

Olly could rule and be a true King.

But he did not have to do so alone—there were two thrones on the castle, after all. The Toad Creator crossed a line, but he had not been all wrong.

Boat trips took ages and Olly had time to study the Fold of Life technique in the book, soaking it in with ease. Being Origami himself, the folds and patterns needed came easily and as second nature. But time still passed and Olly wanted to be finished before the old Toad returned home.

He prepared the colored paper for Olivia himself, taking care to make sure her yellow shined bright. Olly had to make her perfect. He had to let her be pure, true Origami. Her perfection would outshine Olly’s own secret scarring.

“I hope to meet you soon, Olivia,” Olly said, smoothing out the square paper in the center of his castle’s courtyard on the table. “You and I will rule them all together, won’t we?”

He closed his eyes and exhaled.

Olly folded.

A chirp of life greeted him after he finished and Olivia floated from the table. She shook her head and looked around, taking in the small castle and work room. Olivia turned and turned until she stopped and looked at Olly, smiling bright.

“Hello!” Olivia said. She held up her hand and floated closer. “Who are you? Where am I?”

Her bubbly questions were full of life and gave Olly his own sense of pride in his own creation—If the Origami Craftsman had felt like this, why would he scribble on Olly? How could he have even thought to do such a thing?

Perhaps it wasn’t the same.

He couldn’t have felt the way Olly did after seeing that yellow paper turn into a beautiful Queen.

“Hello, Olivia,” Olly said. He smiled back and reached up to straighten his crown. “I am your older brother Olly, and this is our home.”

“Do we live in a castle?” Olivia said, floating up to the green structure in the middle of the table. She spun in a circle with her arms up, full of glee. “How wonderful!”

“No, we live in Mushroom house on an island,” Olly said. He joined her, staring down at the two thrones atop the origami castle. “This is just a decoration for a festival.”

“Oh,” Olivia said. She floated to the chair and sat on her side, as if knowing it was for her. “This is nice, too.”

“A real castle would be better,” Olly said. He sat in his throne next to her and reached over to pat her small arm. “And now that you’re with me, we leave to find one.”

“We’re going to live in a real castle?” Olivia asked. She clapped and floated up again to twirl. “We’ll be like royalty!”

“Not like,” Olly said, smiling at his sister. “We are royalty. I’m a King and you’re a Queen. We’re going to rule an Origami Kingdom.”

“I thought you were my brother.” Olivia floated closer. “Wouldn’t that mean I’m a princess?”

“I suppose if you’d rather be a princess, that’s fine,” Olly said. He had hoped they would be equals, but Olivia was younger. If she wanted to take a step back from leadership, he would allow it. Olly tapped his crown and grinned. “But I am staying a king.”

Olivia laughed and Olly closed his eyes.

Their future looked as bright as her joy and yellow paper.


End file.
